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Reviews
The Black Sleep (1956)
A major revelation and treat for fans of classic horror cinema
The Black Sleep is a film I have only just seen for the first time, thanks to TCM. I'm a die-hard devotee of vintage horror films. As such, I have known about this movie for decades from the occasional reference to it in those dear old monster magazines of the 1960's and 1970's. Now that I've finally seen it, wow.
The ensemble of noir horror film stars assembled for this feature is unparalleled. I got pretty excited just to see the line-up during the opening credits. And I'm happy to report that none of them are wasted, each has a pretty cool character role to play, and puts in a good, sometimes great performance.
After the tantalizing title credits, the story gets underway quickly. The plot is taut and well-conceived, but what really got to me was the vivid characterizations. In fact, this film has given me a whole new clue about where those clever script-writer blokes at Britain's Hammer studios might have gotten their radical new concept of Dr. Frankenstein (with his riveting mix of elegance, obsession with his vision of what he's trying to do, and ruthlessness of determination to not let anyone or anything stop him). "The Black Sleep" features Basil Rathbone in a role that clearly foreshadows Peter Cushing's Frankenstein. It strikes me as ironic because in 1939 Rathbone played Dr. Frankenstein (in "Son of Frankenstein") but his characterization in that film was more consistent with the Universal Studios concept of the character (as originated by Colin Clive). The unscrupulous manner in which a medical assistant is recruited (by deception, blackmail, or whatever) to the mad scientist's cause, the sheer strength of will and personality dominance of the mad scientist, the refined sense of style and taste that contrast so dramatically with the psychopathic lack of conscience--all this and more appears in Rathbone's character, as it did for the first time the following year in Hammer's Frankenstein films. But "The Black Sleep" adds one extra motive and personality element we never saw in the Hammer Frankenstein films: the mad doctor's anguish over his comatose love, hidden away from prying eyes.
Lon Chaney Jr. probably drew upon his previous portrayal of Lenny ("Of Mice and Men") for the role he plays here. But after Basil Rathbone steals every scene, it's John Carradine who steps up to challenge him for scene chewing. This is an actor who has been in so many horror films, quite a few of them as undistinguished as can be, too often wasting his talents. If you're a Carradine fan and have ever lamented this, I'm pleased to prescribe "The Black Sleep" as the cure--his part and acting in this film are must-see. For my price of admission, this film has the best-acted, best-realized roles ever played by Carradine and Rathbone, both. Their greatest moments on screen may well be right here in this little, under-seen low budget masterpiece.
This is a surprising, unsung classic, highly recommended for lovers of the old black and white horror films.
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970)
Second only to "One Million Years BC"
For starters, I'd like to thank the many reviewers who so astutely point out that, in fact, dinosaurs and humans did not co-exist. What a startling revelation--why didn't someone hip us up about this sooner? Now if they can maybe tell us how to spell DUH...
This film will appeal to fans of the celebrated "cavegirl-meets- caveboy" genre. Its time-honored, trademark conventions are all there, the stop-motion animated dinosaur effects artistry, and general ambiance of geological upheaval and turmoil, and of course the primitive Stone Age language they speak (with its all- English phonics). Hokey? You bet. But... this genre is refreshing in general for its unflinching, unpretentious attitude about the sexes and human relations, plus its visual celebration of physical beauty as an icon of attraction. There is an exuberant defiance of repressed, "post- modern," pseudo-intellectual nerdiness in this genre, which fans rightly admire and appreciate. These films are not for Oprah, nor NPR.
Of course, "One Million Years BC" with Raquel Welch is the definitive epic of this type. "When Dinosaurs Ruled..." is not quite as taut by comparison, but it still delivers. The dinosaur scenes are generally good, even if none of them have quite the punch of some of those from "One Million Years BC." Likewise, our leading cave lady Victoria Vetri is Very Nice, and indeed racks well in her cavegirl outfit, but for sheer screen presence she cannot really compare with Raquel.
In fact, the cavegirl bikinis here have a bit less of the magnificently rough-hewn deerskin-rawhide look of "One Million..." But they make up for it as best they can by actually being even skimpier (hard to imagine, I know...). And Victoria and her cavegirl cohorts do a prodigious amount of running, jumping around, and just general jiggling, putting the best foot of these unbelievably teeny weeny bikinis firmly forward. For this film, its what's up front that counts, big time. I must say, those guys at Hammer studios sure do know how to costume, light, and photograph their cast. By the way, the guy's outfits are also extra skimpy (not sure what they were trying to prove with that exactly). Nothing offensive though, it is all within tasteful limits.
Compared with "One Million Years BC," there is a generally lower energy, less crackling intensity to "When Dinosaurs Ruled..." The themes are intact, though -- we still get the catfights and violent interpersonal antagonisms over pecking order ranks, and access to mates that made "One Million ..." such riveting fun. But the characters here are not quite as sharply drawn compared to the standard set in "One Million..." They seem a bit pale--not as much personality, not as much charisma. That goes double for the guys, none of whom could have taken on single-handed the rowdy carnivorous therapod of "One Million..." that attacks in the orchard, the way John Richardson did. In fact, the guys are all pretty much a bunch of putzes in this movie, its hard to root for them. But still, if you liked "One Million Years BC" you will definitely want to take in this one, just don't expect it to be quite as good.
Perhaps the only aspect in which "When Dinosaurs Ruled..." surpasses "One Million Years BC" is in its extensive use of bear tooth necklaces. Everyone has got them, and they are totally stylin'....
The Outer Limits (1963)
In a class by itself
The reviews posted here generally say it very well. As time goes on, the incomparable quality of this classic show only stands out further and further above any and all comparisons one might attempt to make. Unlike Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone" (an excellent show Outer Limits aired contemporaneously with and is often compared to), the major focus of Outer Limits was not so much the time-honored literary conflicts of great fiction such as man-vs-man, man-vs-self, etc, but rather the human encounter with the utterly alien, as projected in a sensitive and intelligent science fiction framework. The science fiction element in Outer Limits was not a mere story device, but rather the central driving story element, balanced by the impact of the alien encounter upon individuals, their relationships and lives. The frequent comparisons with "Twilight Zone" are therefore a bit misconceived, because Outer Limits was a completely different kind of show. But nor can Outer Limits be placed next to "Star Trek" or "Lost in Space" or even more the current show going by the same name. To attempt an analogy, if these other shows were various types of popular fiction--Harlequin romances, boys' adventure stories, "trash" novels like Valley of the Dolls, etc.--Outer Limits would be the equivalent of Shakespeare. To put it differently, these other shows are like the paintings some people buy at Walmart for their living room; Outer Limits is the Mona Lisa. Yes its that good, lesser episodes notwithstanding. The comments one sometimes hears from the young hip crowd that doesn't get Outer Limits (and thinks digital special effects are the criterion of quality) sadden me in their reflection of a culture coarsened over the years by neglect and lack of cultivation. But regarding Sci-Fi Channel's airing of the series, and in contrast to the comments of praise it has received for it here, I offer them a metaphorical swift kick in the pants: they are cutting eight minutes from each episode they broadcast, in order to make more time for their commercial spots. To me, this is heinous, the moral equivalent of desecration--like cropping the Mona Lisa because it takes up too much space on the wall. It would be better not to air it at all. Sci-Fi had better hope I never take control of their television set, because they'll be off the air for good if I can help it, as in goodbye broadcast license. A crime like theirs should not go unpunished.
Day of the Dead (1985)
poor film with great splatter effects
Comments posted here by the reviewer from Bristol, UK, are discerning and right on the mark. Other reviews here have debated whether the "likeability" of the characters is an issue, but this squabble misses the point entirely. The problem is that the characters are dramatically unbelievable, not unlikeable. The mad Dr. Logan brings an enjoyable moment to the scenario, and the subplot of trying to train and tame the one zombie (Bub) is momentarily diverting. Likewise, the gore effects are great, and constitute this film's principal redeeming quality. Apart from this, we are given a cast that, in terms of acting talent, might have soundly flunked auditions for an afternoon network-TV soap opera.
Likewise, the script these unfortunate actors are given is a train wreck of trendy, empty cliches, as though cut from cheap cardboard with blunt kindergarten scissors. The characters are just disengaging, with but the shallowest pretense of personality or subtext, as thin as a crummy lace curtain. One's a jerk, so I guess we're supposed to dislike him. Another is put-upon, so I guess we're supposed to identify or relate, or sympathize, or something? What a terrible bore. Is the problem the acting or the script? Stop, its both, working together in a synergistic, downward spiral. This movie's fatal flaw is its central deficit of well-motivated, credible or even interesting main characters. It is hard for me to fathom how we've gotten this from the same man behind the 1968 classic masterpiece that started this series off. "Night of the Living Dead." That film was a taut orchestration of suspense and terror with a grim, grittily convincing and very original perspective that, given the fantastic scenario, the real threat is not a bunch of slow-moving, mindless gut-munchers but humanity's self-alienation and inability to overcome its own flaws. Such timeless masterpieces are never "dated"--a point seemingly lost on shallow contemporary audiences that rate films according to how recently they were made, and thus help ensure a continuing erosion of quality as they rush to embrace the latest lame offerings.
The Vampire Lovers (1970)
a sapphic, graphic masterpiece
I tend to like the classic horror films of Hammer, Universal, and American International, and "Vampire Lovers" is an esteemed favorite. There are many elements skillfully blended in this fine production, but the central appeal is Ingrid Pitt who breathes passionate, undead life into her role. Her impressive acting ability is matched by her smoldering screen presence and beauty. She is perfectly cast in this role. Wow, did the people who made this movie ever know what they were doing. The costumery, the lighting and photography, the staging, the acting and direction, all combine seamlessly for a stunning spectacle to be savored over and over again. This is the movie that single-handedly minted the "lesbian vampire" as a major cinematic motif, and set the standard for comparison that later entries in this genre would forever be judged by. I doubt we would ever have had such films as "Vampyres," "Vampyros Lesbos" or various Jean Rollin movies (not to mention Hammer's other Karnstein trilogy entries) without this film. And this movie could never have been as good without Ingrid Pitt. Her command of acting nuance is really something. Check out her facial expression when she's in the broken-down coach and Laura, all excited, tells her: "You're to stay with us!"
The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1962)
tepid, atmospheric shocker
Upon first seeing this film as a youngster, I was frankly disappointed at the lack of a "bear" (to borrow the term used to describe the weekly monster featured in vintage Outer Limits episodes). What kind of monster movie is this, without a monster? They really saved on their budget by having their Martians be invisible--how lame, I thought. But upon seeing it again more recently, I was pleasantly surprised at its subtlety and stylistic nuances. There is a surprising and happy comparison with the Val Lewton/Jacques Tourneur horror films of the 1940's, which stake their appeal on mood, atmosphere, and things the imagination conjures up--as opposed to the old Universal horror films which center on a classic monster. The other comparison would be with some old Outer Limits episodes, which often used a subplot founded on tensions in human relationships (e.g. a troubled husband/wife pair) as a driving force of the story, along with visually rich settings. This film does a similar thing, taking an unusually mature approach to its juvenile subject matter with interesting results. The musical score is effective and classy. In one scene, the wife/mother has to go out and check on a door which is reportedly open when its not supposed to be. This scene (reminiscent of a scene from the original "Cat People") builds tension almost subliminally, with her looking around anxiously, as if someone is there watching. Suddenly she hears footsteps and gets scared. Soon she is fleeing, running down long outdoor landscaped corridors, overwrought. She almost stumbles upon a poolside statue which scares her--even ordinary things become menacing to her in her psychological state. There's nothing hitting the viewer over the head, but rather a careful, slow drawing back of the curtain to reveal what's happening, in a way that builds intrigue and suspense, versus having a boogie man jump out and go "boo!". This zero-budget film has worn a soft spot in the heart of this scifi movie buff for its attention to little things that other offerings neglect. I recommend it to grown-ups nostalgic for the thrill they knew as youngsters watching saturday matinee monster movies, now frustrated because they can no longer suspend their disbelief at the sight of a rubber-suited alien monster as easily as when they were young. Story and characterization are this film's strong suits, and it builds up to a shock end